by John Walters
A Medium Happy 69th to Cliff Claven (John Ratzenberger), the original “Well, actually” guy….
Starting Five
Geno, badly in need of a tie loan from Jim Nantz, congratulates Stewie as she exits the most successful career in women’s hoops history
1. “Veni, Vidi, Geno”
11 national championships (in 11 national championship games)
Six perfect seasons (the entirety of D-I men’s hoops has had seven)
A fourth consecutive national title—never been done in men’s or women’s hoops
A 75th straight win, for a program that already has a 90- and a 70-game win streak in its past.
Geno Auriemma: Your 2016 Sports Illustrated “Sportsperson of the Year” (or else they’re all dopes).
2. Better Call Paul
After all the heat and blather of the debates and town halls, the idea of Ryan winning the GOP nomination would be hysterical. But it could happen.
Ted Cruz wins last night’s Wisconsin primary. Donald Trump could and probably will still enter the GOP convention in Cleveland with more delegates. John Kasich isn’t maleficent or insane but the Republicans don’t want him. Is there a chance that House Majority Leader Paul Ryan, who has partaken in absolutely zero of the past year’s debates, could win the GOP nomination? And how funny would that be!
Ryan, by the way, is a senator from where? Wisconsin!
3. On Deck: The People Vs. O.J. McDuffie
If Kardashian is disillusioned here, it’s probably good that he did not live long enough to see what happened with his daughters
Admit it: you heard there was going to be a mini-series about the O.J. Simpson trial on F/X, you saw the cast: John Travolta, Ross from “Friends,” Nathan Lane, Dr. Fleischmann from “Northern Exposure,” Theo from “Cosby,” and of course, Rod Tidwell from “Jerry Maguire,” and you thought, “Shark-Kato!”
Well, the The People Vs. O.J. Simpson concluded last night (I won’t give away the ending here) and it was fantastic. If you were of age at the time, you can appreciate how well they captured both the main characters of the trial but the prevailing national mood. I particularly loved Courtney Vance as Johnnie Cochrane and the dude who was a dead ringer for Christopher Darden. Come September, there will be Emmy awards handed out for this series and actors, and they will be well-deserved.
4. Dub Steps and Missteps
Is the dream still alive? The Golden State Warriors, who were 68-7 last Thursday, are now 69-9 after two home defeats in the past five days. Last night Minnesota, a team that entered Oracle Arena with a 25-52 record, took down the Dubs in OT. Golden State committed 24 turnovers and Stephen Curry was just 4 of 13 from beyond the arc.
This is why I hate all Nate Silver projections. I said in late January Golden State wouldn’t break the Bulls record. That takes a little courage. Changing your percentage predictions after each game, win or lose, is meaningless drivel (And you thought I’d put my high horse out to pasture).
Four games left, two each versus Memphis and San Antonio (home and away with each), and the Warriors must go 4-0. The pre-March Warriors could do it. I don’t know if the Dubs of the past two weeks could or if they should even try. They look spent.
Related: The Sixers won their 10th game, so they will not tie for worst record.
Also Related: The Timberwolves are going to be a very, very good team.
5. Where In The World?*
Hint: Not in Australia
*Because the judges are late for an appointment with the tax man
Music 101
Supernova
Considering that the fair Liz Phair is playing four blocks down the street from my abode three nights this week, and thinking back to Monday night, this song is a no-brainer (as opposed to, of course, a “brainer”). Phair, an Oberlin College grad, was the darling of MTV’s Alternative Nation/120 Minutes shows back in 1993 and ’94, then seemed to vanish as swiftly as she arrived. Back when “Modern Rock” was a thing, this tune hit No. 6 on that chart (and No. 78 on the Billboard pop chart) in 1994.
Isnt that cathedral in Milan Italy?
Congrats to the UCONN dynasty; who like many geniuses & “works of art”, won’t truly be appreciated till they’re gone. But even you have to admit, a beat-down by 31 (THIRTY-ONE!) in the NCG is not exactly seat-of-the-sofa riveting.
Fell asleep last night right after I saw the half-time score of the Dubs-TWolves game. Imagine my SOOPRIZE when I awoke this morning! Getting verrrry interesting. Two HOME losses in the last week after not losing there all season? If they were the Cavs, the media would be screaming all day/week that the team was in “free-fall” &/or “dysfunctional”. At least this makes their last 10 days of the regular season even more “must-see TV” (*I* may even watch!) & redeems the NBA scheduler. When I originally looked at the Warriors schedule back in November, I could not believe the stoopid scheduling with the Spurs. NOW it seems fated! The Dubs’ main competition in the West now has TWO opportunities to keep them from making history. HOW can Pop pass up a chance to being the ultimate “pain-in-the-ass”? It’s his M.O.!
Also, you said “they look spent”. Not what you want to see heading into the Playoffs. Do you think they will get to the Finals or will they fall to the Spurs (or possibly Thunder)?
Susie B.,
To answer your final question, I think Kerr has an intriguing quandary. In a sense, the best thing that could happen to the Dubs is to lose their next game and not have to pursue this any more. They could rest. Even if SAS rests its players, it won’t be easy to go 4-0 in final week and THEN turn around and possibly play a Utah team that has given both the Dubs and the Spurs all they wanted in the past two weeks. And you know Kerr will be criticized if they fall anywhere short of the NBA Finals.
Fact is, they just don’t look that sharp at the moment. When Steph and Klay are Splashing, they’re incredible. But they weren’t last night and haven’t been lately.
Now as for your hero, great, great player. No doubt. But even I could see way back when that he should never have strong-armed the Cavs into taking Love and not picking Wiggins. And last night showed why. The Cavs with Wiggins, LeBron and Irving would be ridiculously athletic and potent. I like Love (I don’t love Love), but Wiggins would’ve been so much better for the Cavs.
There are only 4 teams who can possibly be in the Finals, of course: Cleveland, Dubs, SAS and OKC. That’s it. Count on it.
Liz Phair, still pretty strong. Big fan in her heyday. On Cliff’s birthday, can say I covered season opener where Norm — still always Fat Sam to me — threw out first pitch. Cheers? Top five all-time comedy for me.